The Illinois State Museum has a deal to re-open, just days after Governor Bruce Rauner suggested that it start charging admission and look for private support. The Department of Natural Resources says lawmakers must grant the authority to charge entry fees so the museum can reopen within weeks instead of months.
The Illinois EPA says a cattle farm operated by Gabe Shepherd violated the state Environmental Protection Act and other laws when it allowed manure to spill into Stony Creek and the Salt Fork, killing nearly 100,000 fish.
The 5th District Appellate Court Friday issued a ruling that upheld the state's rules for the oil and gas drilling technique. The appellate court sided with a Madison County judge, rejecting a challenge from an environmental group.
Illinois lawmakers have a couple of weeks left to reach a resolution on the state budget. If they don't get it done by the end of June, the comptroller has warned that she'll no longer have authority to pay the state's bills. The programs and facilities that are on heigtened alert to potentially suspend operations include the Illinois State Museum.
The Illinois Department of Natural Resources is asking for more information before deciding whether to approve an Indiana company's request to build a new coal mine in eastern Illinois.
